How a Record Gets Leaked

by Kevin on May 27, 2009

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Saw this posted over at Nobody Famous’ blog and thought it was interesting, in case anyone wonders how a record gets leaked. Hit the jump, if you’re having a hard time reading the above…

In the time between an album’s completion and its official release, there are all sorts of chances for it to escape:

At the Studio

  • As soon as a record is finished, anyone from the producer to the endineer to the band members can spoil the fun (4 months before release)

At the Label

  • Labels send albums to companies like Sonic Arts to add a digital encryption code that can identify uploading evildoers… but not necessarily stop them (3 1/2 months before release)

By the Press

  • Considered to be the most common source of album leakage, watermarks or not. Oops! (3 months before release)

At the Plant

  • While in the process of being manufactured, a CD is ostensibly secured under lock and key, but sometimes copies fall off the back of trucks (1 month before release)

At the Warehouse

  • Once CDs await shipping to retailers, it’s virtually guaranteed that a copy will find its way online (2 weeks before release)

At Retail

  • And of course, once an album is available for sale online or in stores, all bets are off

Related posts:

  1. American Gangster: Leaked
  2. Tha Carter III Leaked
  3. 14KT: The Golden Hour [2 More Leaked Tracks]
  4. Remix Contest: Win a Trip to Record with E-40!
  5. Wax & Nobody Famous: Making The Record

Follow: Kevin on Twitter


Posted in Misc

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Sean Deez

    Deez with the assist.. but for real, thought this was a good/entertaining post

  • Lynx

    ya I was thinking about this with all the talk about relapse leaks and stuff, good stuff

  • http://myspace.com/sttress1 S.T.T.R.E.S.S.

    My thing about leaks are, u BETTER watch who u call your so-called “boys”.

  • Specialk

    What percentage of sales do you think artists lose with these rapidshare and zshare album downloads? I’m thinking Relapse would have sold around 800k.

  • http://www.twitter.com/illionaire ILLIONAIRE

    This was from SPIN Magazine like 2 years ago. And 2 years ago you can definitely say these were the main ways albums got leaked. Not anymore, thanks to blogs.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    I don’t see where “blogs” change what this pic described two years ago. The blogs still have their sources from one of the 6 leaks above. I would not consider a “blog” a source of a leak, but an outlet.

    On a side note, I take offense to your statement Illonaire. Why do you have to generalize “blogs”? This site is a blog, yet we don’t leak records.

  • http://www.twitter.com/illionaire ILLIONAIRE

    Definitely. The 6 outlets in the picture above are definitely the source of music leaks. But more so now, it’s sometimes the artists themselves putting their music out onto the net via Twitter, MUSIC blogs, their own blogs, etc. Music isn’t leaking the same way as it was a few years back where MP3 release groups like “RNS, RAGEMP3, XXL, etc.” putting them out 2-3 weeks prior to store date in which they got from retail mainly, or the advance copies of albums from the label.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Thomas

    I think if your a fan….you’re going to support artist you like at retail. Example….I had the Relapse leak…however I went to Best Buy and copped the album. Same thing is gonna happen with this Marco Polo & Torae joint. I’ve been listening to the leak….gonna cop next week.

    On the topic….artist and labels are probably responsible for most of the leaks themselves.

  • http://www.twitter.com/illionaire ILLIONAIRE

    That is very true Thomas, ironically.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    True… artists do sometimes leak their own stuff. If not for promo, for a way to get ahead of the bootleggers. The music industry is in a weird place right now. I remember thinking about this a while ago… whoever finds a solution to this problem will be be a millionaire.

  • http://www.twitter.com/illionaire ILLIONAIRE

    Watermarking is helping, but not preventing.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    And that’s the problem Thomas is that there aren’t enough people supporting their artists. People should treat leaks as exactly that… a preview. If you like it, buy it, if not, get rid of it.

    I remember when the Em, Red/Meth, and Busta albums dropped I brought up the question at work, “what album’s you guys coppin’ today?” The room filled with laughter. “Who buys music anymore?” Someone said. Another said, “dog, I been had that for 2 weeks. Why would I buy it?” I just shook my head.

    Now, I’m no saint. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t go to the movie theater. If a nice screener or DVD rip of a movie happens to be online, I’ll grab it. Is it any different? No. I just put all my money into music…. plus I hate crowds. And don’t get me starting on the overpricing of movie tickets and lack of theater upgrades… lol

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    I heard Apple has come up with a play it once CD.. though I think they’ve had those around before for movie rentals. That might be a dope idea for promo copies. You get one chance to hear it, then it’s destroyed.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Thomas

    I think a way to cut down on leaks is some how to cut down on access to the album once the artist turns it in.

    Label should spend some of the marketing money on the album to bring people to review the album in house. Watermark all promo copy’s…tag them the fuck up. With the technology now a days it an artist should be able to submit an album 2-3 weeks prior to release and it be ready to ship within that time frame.

    Album samplers are good. Gets people hype about the album. Black Poet sampler has me hype for the album.

    No easy solution.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Thomas

    Sony…I think had CD’s that you weren’t able to burn…I think Amerie and Anthony Hamilton’s first album.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Sean Deez

    now, it seems like the labels/ artists themselves are leaking

    I mean, I wouldn’t personally make that statement, but a lot of other people expect that. The truth is though, I consistently get leaks, but from the label reps themselves, they stress not to leak.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Thomas

    The music has to come from someplace. I personally like my music in hard copy form. I can’t say that my music collection only exist on a folder on my computer.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Sean Deez

    That might be a dope idea for promo copies. You get one chance to hear it, then it’s destroyed.

    Kev, that’s kinda stupid though, no?

    I mean, think of the malfunctions that could lead to something never really getting heard lol

  • tiredblkman

    you people forget, people are having a hard time buying gas and paying rent or a house note. speaking as someone who has lost everything in Katrina (including all the cd’s i did buy for all those years) i refuse to buy all the time, because so many artist don’t have a full cd of hits or even good album fillers. after the neo soul movement (which ended around i’d say 2002) i refused to purchase another cd with 1-2 good songs on it and the rest crap. the last cd i purchased was Marvin Gaye’s lets get it on delux and Jill Sott live in Paris, and that was about 3 yrs ago. I know artist gotta eat but they need to put out better music before i spend money on thier cd , or i will continue to dl from the various sites and pay my own bills

  • CEELOS

    cosign tiredblk. I wasnt in katrina but times are rough.I aint gona stop eating just to support an artist theres a limit.If I purchased all the music I like id be dropping over 50$ a week. i love hiphop but i love myself more.

  • http://www.myspace.com/gftdgroove GftdGrooVe

    . . downloading kept me alive through high school. . if not i would have been forced to listen to alot of the bullshit coming out on the radio . . and when i got a job i went to buying all the cd’s i downloaded. . it just depends on the situation. .

  • Blix

    Honestly, I think the last three posts are exceptions to what is going on in general. I feel like the majority of downloads are happening as the result of lazy, greedy, and ultimately selfish individuals who don’t really care about the artist. The only thing that I like seeing about these really low numbers nowadays is that it really sifts out who the true fans are and the ones that are just users and abusers.

    I definitely agree with the last three posts…what’s happening in the economy and the music industry are both causes for major drops in numbers but at the same time, if you truly respect the artist and understand what some of them are using their music to do (i.e. feed their kids, pay their bills, etc…) you can find a way to sacrifice and come up with 10 bucks and buy the album straight up. I’ve done this many times (cutting back on how much I eat and ordering out, renting a movie instead of blowin’ $20 at the theater) and believe me, bumping a totally legit copy of an album allows you to more thoroughly enjoy or more fully dislike the record. The fact is, the artists who are worth supporting actually make sacrifices in their lives to provide us, the consumer, with quality music that truly shares a part of who they are. Stealing from their grind, from their hustle, from their sacrifice is the same as if you walked up to a chef and said, “I know you’ve been working on that recipe for the last year, perfecting it, making it taste and digest just right, but now I’m gonna take it from you, copy it, and put it all over the internet so that we ALL can enjoy all the hard work you’ve done.”

  • http://www.soulsoundproduction.blogspot.com Rouh

    Kev, I’ve downloaded relapse on the day it came out on the internet (about 2 weeks ago) and I still listen to it but can’t make my mind up. I don’t think the album is as I thought it would be so I’m confused… The thing is that i won’t get rid of it (I.e. erase it from my HD) because I like 30-40% of the album and I know that in the upcoming months I still want to listen to 3 AM, My Mom…So what a brother suppose to do ?
    Plus, I tell you something : I live in Tunisia right now which is located in North Africa and the only way to have music over here is to… download it !
    Just a thought…

  • Tyes Tunes

    A good read but slightly off-topic. “According to a study done by the BBI Norwegian School of Management, those who freely download music from file-sharing sites and elsewhere buy ten times more music (yes, they actually pay for it) than people who do not participate in file-sharing systems.” Those that were afraid that cassette tapes would destroy the music industry are the same ones that feel file sharing, or to put it in their words “piracy” would do the same thing are WRONG!!!
    I’m dating myself but, I remember listening to the radio before Clear Channel and the likes over commercialized it. You could always hear what was about to be that next big smash just by checking for your city’s hottest DJ on a Friday night, then tape the show, bring out the box on Saturday and let your boys hear it. This was Hip-Hop promotion at it’s most basic levels. But now when the DJ that used to pride himself on bringing that NEW HEAT is ‘handcuffed’ to play only what’s on an approved program director’s playlist
    that system dies. But from death comes life. Since I’ve been checkin’ the blog scene I’ve been exposed to so much music and artists that may never make it to my wack ass radio station, and yes believe it or not my iTunes purchases have gone up considerably.
    Sorry for such a wordy post. To read the full article go here.
    http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2347258,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03079TX1K0000585

  • Pedro

    Kevin is correct when he says that the role of a blog is more of a portal where music is illegaly shared — the key word here though, is “illegaly.” Every single person in the diagram above is committing a crime and the blogger and the downloader are as well. That is of course if the artist and record label did not purposely leak the album. In that case, there is nothing illegal about it.

    The internet has not just changed the way we get music, but also the artists we listen to. Back in the day everyone paid for the music they listened to or was forced to listen to the limited selection of artists on radio. The internet has allowed me to find less mainstream artists that nonetheless make music I like. For example, under the old model, I would probably have never discovered an artist like Kev Brown or Elzhi, or even Foreign Exchange. I’ve never heard any of them on the radio and never found any of their albums at a store. The internet singlehandedly exposed me to them and as it turns out, they are three of my favorite acts. For this simple reason, I think the old music model of making money from record sales is going to have to die and make way for a new “performance” based model where artist distribute music free or very cheap and make their money from performing and advertising. If that means that Lil Wayne is only gonna have 5 BMW’s instead of 8, that’s ok by me but by no means will free music equal starving artists.

    There are pro’s and cons to both the old way of doing business and the new way but the bottom line is that the music market is not the same it was when albums were made out of wax and studios could charge 20 dollars a piece. I can go all day on this so I’ll leave it there.

  • Pedro

    *illegally

  • http://www.myspace.com/mrmag MaG

    i’m a HUGE fan of the “if you download it illegally and you love the artist then cop the album” school of thought. I really think easier access to music has hurt but I also think cats get away with putting out mixtapes then proceed to put out really wack albums, like tiredblkman said wit “1-2 hits”. Me personally i download mixtapes like crazy and I’ll listen to leaks but I ain’t downloading em. Being an artists man you just realize how fair it to take food off someones table and not pay for it. Like kev said man be a fan…there are no more music lovers anymore…everybody wants the quickest release, the first person to hear the newness and its diluting the market….i remember i bought the bootleg to the black album THEN copped the real joint cause it was Jay..he dont need my money but its about the principle…cause i would want someone to do the same for me

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    Let me formally introduce our site’s new legal representation…. Pedro. Seriously, Pedro’s down here with me in Miami and he’s gonna be contributing articles from a legal aspect soon. I think they’ll lead to a lot of great discussions. Plus he’s a great wealth of knowledge for anybody who has any legal questions.

  • http://www.myspace.com/mrmag MaG

    lol @ Kev for introducing legal dude by only his first name like hes a mob affiliate. but nah man dats a great look

  • http://podomatic.djjustintime.com Justin Time

    I can afford to buy a cd or 2 but I admit, I download every cd. But I also go to live show which range from $30-$100 easy so actually I just bought 2 cd’s if the the show was $30 at least so bottom line, if a artist cd is decent, ill support ur live show

  • CEELOS

    yeah I support live shows all the time I buy tees posters so there are many other ways to support artists besides purchasing the LP.Actually they make more money of me from merch then the album.I dont mind dropping the money if they are dope.

  • http://podomatic.djjustintime.com Justin Time

    @Ceelos, exactly!!! I support artists, just with other avenues. And most artists show money goes straight to em. Also, this might sound a bit foolish, but rappers (not all but a lot) talk about how much money they have anyway, so they shouldn’t be too effected by me not buying their cd

  • Pee Duble

    Pretty soon all music is gonna be free. Artists aren’t gonna drop albums anymore, and record labels are going to be like “Teams” They will have the dopest artists on their roster and try to get paid through shows, movies, endorsements, advertisements etc. The quality of music has gone down tremendously in the last few years which turns people away from supporting. Artists are going to take it back to the underground, hone their skills, and hip-hop will start to get better in the next 2-3 years. For now, we gonna be stuck with the radio bullshit as our representation.

  • http://twitter.com/realfrequency Vatkeezy

    Basically it comes down to how much of a fan of music you really are. If you a true fan, you will find some way to support, be it by purchasing the album, going to the show, or what not. You have to put yourself in the artists’ shoes and see how you feel when all of your hard work is being given away for free.

    The Internet has leveled the playing field for the more underground artists that don’t have the budget to compete with the guys on the majors, which is a great thing, but at the same time it has also created more competition than ever, now that everyone wants to be a rapper, producer, blogger, etc. Basically nobody wants to be a fan anymore lol. And it seems people only go to shows if they can get “exclusive footage” that 12000 other people are going to get.

    Honestly, when blogs became as big as they are now, and those wack blogs that post full albums started popping up, that is what really fucked up the game, because in the past you had to know WHERE to look to find some of the more underground stuff. Nowadays, all you have to know is WHAT search terms to use in Google!

  • http://www.djbozo.com DJ Bozo

    Interesting, yes interesting indeed.
    Same things applies for movies, though it’s a bit more complicated, but nonetheless, same shadyness from the inside!

  • http://www.myspace.com/gftdgroove GftdGrooVe

    @Vatkeezy /

    . . .you hit it right on the nose. . everyone wants to be a producer/rapper etc. . . but for all the wrong reasons. . the love of hip hop has faded away. . krs has this interview on youtube talking about how an average joe can go to the store and pick up equipment and actually be uttered in the same breath as some of the greats. . i personally said about a year ago im gonna take the backseat to music and become a fan again. .

    . . forums do help me stay updated as far as my music goes .. im on the move in this military. . im in iraq as we speak. . i would have no idea reflection eternal was back in the lab if not for this site. . the thing about it is that alot of these new rappers ( not emcees but thats a whole nother subject ) cant appreciate good music. .so they just mirror what they know. .they can sing a whole lupe track and say they listen to underground but can yet tell you who buckshot is. .

  • http://www.myspace.com/dizahnastradoomus D. Dee

    im kinda wondering how some of Madlibs shit, leaked a while back..

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Sean Deez

    sometimes though, you gotta make those risky purchases…

    then kick your self later

  • http://www.myspace.com/gftdgroove GftdGrooVe

    . . .those risky buys may lead you to a jewel. . thats the beauty of diggin .. you never know what you might come across. .. and when you do . . your like ” Today Must Be My Lucky Day! ! ” . .ha .

  • Pedro

    Thanks for the intro fam. I’ve been doing some research on the legal angle for sampling tracks. There’s mad info out there and since sampling is such a crucial element of most hip hop songs, I’m interested.. I’m gonna sift through it and see if I can come up with a couple of paragraphs for you and the site in plain English. Stay tuned.

    LoL @ MaG. First-names-only keeps me somewhat anonymous. If not, I get inundated with emails about child support and felony reckless driving. You’d be surprised. I’ve even had people accuse me of pretending to be a lawyer because “i talk too ghetto” to be a lawyer. If anyone is thinking that out there right now. Check my resume…lol

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    Sounds great Pedro, hit me up when you get back in town.

  • http://www.myspace.com/ghostownproductionsva GHOSTOWN PRODUCTIONS

    much of the industry’s suffering is self inflicted… by attacking their targeted market (instead of adapting their methods of reaching such consumers), they pretty much handed the game over to steve jobs (who proved digital distribution can generate revenue) and now, from what i hear, riaa is looking for congressional bailout $! No one can see the future, but tha Waynes n Eminems of tha world aren’t really being hurt by downloaders, they got up front $! The labels can’t recoup, that’s why they’re crying foul. U can’t fight technological advancements, u gotta adapt. Just speculation, but once we see the total demise of the majors, it will be up to sites like this one to break new artists into peoples ears (it really already is). That’s right, the Kev Nottinghams of the world (wide web) will be the guys that we will be shopping our music to in order to get it heard, and i kinda like that idea! Get these suits n ties w/ thier 360 rape deals out of our way. It’s over for them. “IT’S A NEW DAY… AND A BETTER DAY COMING!” Let’s take it to tha cyber streets!

  • http://iigunzent.com DJTommyIIGunz

    @ Ghost
    I definitely agree. Steve jobs is a genius. He did exactly what he wanted to do. He saw this shift coming years ago and got ahead of the curve. Label execs thought he was out of his mind, but now they’re pissing their pants trying to figure out how to do something that DVDs have been doing since their invention. Remember when Dvds came out and cats were trying to record the dvds from blockbuster onto VHSs? lol then software came out that kinda killed that.
    Now they’ve took it a step further. Don’t believe me? Go buy Notorious. It comes with a digital copy of the movie that you cant watch unless you put in the serial number authorization code. My question is why cant the music Industry do this? are they just to dumb? no. They did it with Anthony Hamilton’s 1st Cd. They just figured it wasn’t cost effective. Wow instead of costing you 40 cents a CD to make em now it’ll cost you 70 cents.
    Stop being dumbasses. Then what makes it even worse is that they Handed the industy to Steve Jobs!!!!!! Now they’re Complaining!!!! That’s their screw-up.

  • Jigsaw

    After listening to True North, I wanted to reread this post to see what’s changed in the world of downloading music from a year ago. We gotta support the artist, at least the one’s who put out quality product

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